Athletes flock to ESU camp to learn how to run faster

Wednesday

Jun 27, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 27, 2007 at 2:09 AM

The difference between making a college football team or watching the team from the sideline is somewhere around a tenth of a second. For Matt Alfieri, that tenth of a second is huge. For Matt Alfieri, that tenth of a second is huge.

MIKE KUHNS

The difference between making a college football team or watching the team from the sideline is somewhere around a tenth of a second.

For Matt Alfieri, that tenth of a second is huge.

"I want to go to college and play football," said Alfieri, a football and baseball player at Tunkhannock High School. "I'm not extremely fast but, I run like a 4.6 (40 yards), so I was hoping if I do this stuff now and keep doing it, it will drop my (time) a lot."

Alfieri is one of a record 58 campers at East Stroudsburg University's Track and Field and Speed camp, which concludes today. The three-day camp ($245 for three days includes lunch and dinner) is run by ESU women's track coach Chris Merli.

Campers also take part in fun activities like movies and pool time. The 58 campers is the most Merli has had for the camp, now in its eighth year.

"The thing in track and field is you have to know how to run first to do anything else," Merli said. "We're not just talking about speed. There's a lot of things that go into running faster."

Many athletes have never been exposed to the proper mechanics of running. This camp opens the eyes of proper running techniques, and how technique can increase an athlete's ability to run in an efficient manner.

Danielle Howell is a middle distance runner, hurdler and field hockey player at North Penn High School.

"I'm surprised. I've learned a lot," Howell said. "It's all about technique. You won't be as good if you don't have the right technique."

Merli specializes in track and field, but speed is universal in many sports. His camp attracts athletes of all sports — football, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, field hockey and, of course, track and field.

The common attraction — the need to move faster. The strongest football players will not reach their potential without speed to the sidelines or down field.

Outfielders in baseball and softball can have a fantastic arm, but the ability to track down a fly ball in the gap is immeasurable.

"Speed, that's what everybody talks about. You've got to be able to move," Merli said.

Learning to move quicker is Alfieri's goal. He's about 5-feet-10, 185 pounds and runs a 4.6 in the 40. One tick faster could move him up the chart on a future recruiter's list.

"I came to camp to get something out of it," Alfieri said.

It's a dedicated group that attends a camp like this. Not many teens — which the camp predominantly attracts — subject themselves to six workouts in three days all in the name of speed training.

It's the knowledge these athletes gain that may be invaluable to them down the road.

"I tell the kids, 'Without lifting another ounce of weight, without doing another workout, would you like to run faster?' The kids are like, 'Yeah.'"Š"Š" Merli said. "I said, 'That's what we're about.'"Š"Š"

Editor's note: ESU hosts numerous camps for many sports. Online registration for their camps is at www.esu.edu/camps.